The Wait
by WinnieMoo
Summary: Mark and Callie, coz they belong together.... No real plot yet, but getting there


I'm aware of the fact that this sucks.... But I was bored and I really just.... I dunno.

RnR to tell me whether or not I should even bother writing.

Lost and insecure,

You found me,

You found me,

Lying on the floor,

Surrounded,

Surrounded,

Why'd you have to wait?

Where were you?

Where were you?

Just a little late,

You found me,

You found me,

"Jeez Mark, do you have any idea how annoying you are? How many times do I have to tell you? I'm FINE!" Callie yelled with more force than she'd meant.

"Ok, ok, I'm just a concerned man checking up on his best friend who has recently gone through a rough time." Mark replied with the Sloan smirk intact.

He knew her well enough to know she was lying through her Mexican ass, but because he knew her that well, he could see this was his cue to shut up.

"Oh now you wanna be my best friend?" Callie muttered.

She meant to say it quietly, but Mark still heard it loud and clear and annoyance replaced the smirk. Her voice was just that loud.

"What the hell's that supposed to mean, Torres?" Mark took a step in her direction.

"You know exactly what it means, _Sloan_." Callie moved closer towards him.

"Oh come on Cal, I'm here now aren't I?"

"Yeah, I forgot to ask about that one. Lexie's on call?" Mark and Callie were standing only an inch apart. A year ago they would've been kissing by now.

"That was low." Mark actually tried the puppy dog eyes.

"Can you blame me? We've spoken for about 6 minutes in the last 12 days! Maximum! And now you're at my apartment asking what's wrong! Can you blame me for being at least a tiny bit suspicious?" Callie shouted. Their noses touched for a second before they both pulled away like they'd been burnt. They still stood glaring at one another until a single tear rolled down Callie's cheek.

"Oh my God! Cal! I'm so sorry! I know I was wrong but… Oh my God!" Mark didn't even know what he had said that was so terrible – after all, Callie had been doing most of the talking- but his friend was upset and he could put aside their fight for later. She wasn't even really crying. She made no sound, none of those slightly exaggerated crying faces that girls usually make, but the tears were falling like rain from her eyes. When she spoke her voice was completely calm, devoid of any emotion.

"I tried to tell you…. But you were always… talking about Lexie, with Lexie, worried about Lexie. I know she's your girlfriend… I know she has shiny hair and you like stroking it, even in public, which urm, hello, is kinda creepy for the witnesses but…" Callie looked at Mark, straight in his eyes.

"You know how last Friday was the two month anniversary of George's…" Callie trailed off and Mark nodded for her to continue. She hadn't yet said out loud that George was dead. She'd said passed away, gone, not with us anymore; but no dead, died or death.

"Well, my totally _super_-_awesome _girlfriend," the words super-awesome dripped out of Callie's mouth like venom, "chose that day to break up with me. In the bathroom at Joe's. Its karma right?"

Mark didn't answer, instead he took a moment to process what Callie had just told him. God, the two month anniversary of George's death. In the bathroom at Joe's, where they shared their first kiss. What, had Arizona taken her there specially to break things off? Who knew McHeely could be such a bitch?

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Callie was woken up by a loud buzzing from the table next to her. It took a few seconds to register that she was on the couch in her living room and Mark was asleep with his head in her lap.

And then there was that damn buzzing.

Her hand reached out (gingerly, as not to wake up the reformed manwhore sleeping on her lap) to grab the root of all evil, Mark's BlackBerry, which was vibrating. It stopped before she could grab it. Silence… Beauty… Sleep…

And then it started again.

Callie had second thoughts about answering when she checked the caller ID. It was Lexie. She didn't want Lexie to know that Mark had spent the entire night at her place. Young minds jump to conclusions easily and Lexie was, what, 13? Then again… Mark had been all but completely ignoring her on account of Lexie and Callie was feeling a little troublesome this morning. If there's trust in their relationship, there should be no issue… Right? Whatever.

"Morning." Callie had pondered faking a yawn, but she figured she should just go for sounding like she'd been up all night.

"Urm, Callie? Er, hi, I mean, uhm, morning. Is… Is Mark there? No, of course he's there, this is _his _phone… And he's _with_ you, at your place.. Urm.. .But, er, can I… I need to talk to him. Now."

Callie stifled a laugh. The way Lexie was answering her own questions and babbling was completely hilarious. And then she said "Now" in this voice that she probably thought was strict or "scary". Like that girl would ever have a patch on Bailey. Good luck to Lexie in her Residency.

"Yeah he's here." Callie replied nonchalantly. She leaned down and screamed straight in Marks ear for him to wake up.

"Jesus, Cal! Turn down the volume a touch would ya?"

"Oops sorry... Did I wake you up from a particularly _exciting_ dream?"

"Wow that was a good one! This? Is me not laughing!"

"And this? Is your girlfriend on the phone!"

Callie held his BlackBerry in the air till Mark jumped into action and grabbed it out of her hand.

"Wow. Mark Sloan is whipped." Callie smirked and added a whipping sound for effect.

Mark flipped her the bird and walked to the bathroom to talk to Lexie. He knew what was coming and he didn't want Callie to bear witness. She'd been through enough crap.

"Hey hun what's up?" He tried to sound as normal as possible, like he wasn't about to piss himself. Was he scared of her or something?

"I'm waiting." She said calmly.

He wanted to tell her that she could just carry on waiting for as long as she wanted and to call him when she was ready to grow up and trust him. But he decided against that.

"Come on Lex, I was just hanging with a friend."

"And you couldn't think to phone me and tell me where you were going?"

"You were on call! You can't know where I am all the time! It's not like I was on the corner of James Street looking for hookers! I was with CALLIE! My best friend!" Mark felt proud of himself for that one. It was a little petty, but so was Lexie.

"But Mark! Last night was supposed to be our night! I even got off work a little early at 9pm so we could have some time together.

Y'know… Couple time." Lexie replied a little timidly. She was backing down.

Mark almost laughed at the fact that his doctor girlfriend called sex, "couple time".

"Well **Alexandra**, I do have a life, so next maybe you could check if I'm not doing anything?"

"It was supposed to be a surprise!" Lexie stamped her foot like a six-year old. Mark could hear through the phone.

"I can't read your mind! I'm not that vampire dude from that book that turned into a movie!" Mark was really pissed now.

"But Edward _can't _read Bella's mind. He can read everyone else's except hers. Its becau-, "

"Okay! Good to know!" Mark cut her off. Had they seriously resolved a fight by talking about _vampires_?

It was quiet for a few seconds. Until…

"So what were you guys up to last night?" Lexie tried to sound as if she didn't care, but they both knew she was failing miserably.

"Does it really matter?" Lexie's silence made Mark realize that it mattered a lot. So he continued.

"We mostly talked, watched a movie. Not much." Yeah that was sufficient right?

"What did you talk about?" Apparently not.

"Does. It. Matter?" Mark hated that he was repeating himself.

"Well, it's just interesting to me that you ditched your girlfriend for what seems like a pretty dull evening with your best friend." Lexie replied quietly as if she didn't really want him to hear.

"I didn't _ditch _youand… Callie needed me okay!" Mark was almost whining to get his point across.

"_I _need you!" Lexie really was whining.

"Oh really? Do you? Did your ex-husband die? Did the person you were in love with break up with you?" He hadn't wanted to say that it just slipped out.

"What? No……. Oh," realization dawned in Lexie's voice,"Oh God Mark, oh…… I am so so sorry… It never crossed my… They looked so happy she and Ariz-."

"Yeah, yeah they did. Listen, Lexie I would really appreciate it if you didn't anybody about this? The last thing Callie needs is gossip." Especially since you aren't supposed to know.

"You're right Mark and I'm sorry. Tell Callie that too."

"I will, sure."

"Mark?"

"Yip?"

"I love you."

"Me too."

Mark couldn't bring himself to say the full words. Not right now at least.

I dance around this empty house,

Tear us down,

Throw you out,

Screamin' down the hall,

Spinnin' all around and now we fall,

Pictures framed of the past,

Your taunting smirk behind the glass,

This museum fall of ash,

Once a tickle now a rash,

This used to be a Funhouse,

But now it's full of evil clowns,

Its time to start the countdown,

I'm gonna burn it down,

Down,

I'm gonna burn it down

Callie walked through the revolving doors of Seattle Grace. She couldn't just take off. There were people here who needed her. Work was her escape. So what if this place reminded her of everything that went horribly shitty in her life? George, Erica…. And now Arizona. SGH also held the happy memories. Those were the ones she was holding on to.

On her way to the locker room she passed Lexie. The intern pretended she hadn't seen Callie and continued fucking up some poor patient's charts. Callie wasn't particularly heartbroken. She had heard the duration of Mark and Lexie fight even although she wasn't standing within 5 feet of the bathroom door. That included the part about George's… passing and Arizona's brutal ending of their relationship. Of course, Lexie knew the part about George, but Callie didn't see why Mark needed to tell Little Grey about Arizona. Whatever… Everyone was bound to find out anyway and she appreciated Mark telling Lexie to keep it quiet.

Callie was snapped out of her train of train thought by… Izzie Stevens?

Granted, they had called truce the day after George… was taken away.

But still… She felt a little uneasy at times around her and now was one of those times.

"Callie?"

"Hmm?" Nice response Torres.

"Are you okay?" Izzie looked genuinely concerned," 'Cause I saw you come in and you looked… a little lost. I was just checking up on you, but oh my God, you have to hear this story…"

Callie let Izzie's peppy voice drift into the background. Instead she focused on her face. She looked so pale and thin. Her skin wasn't the same radiant gold, but more like the inside of a banana. She wasn't fully in remission and the Chief (and Alex) didn't want her working just yet, but he allowed her to walk around the hospital in her scrubs like she had more to do than just… Walk. Her hair had only started growing back recently, and she kept it tucked away under her, now trademark, head-scarf. She was so small, half of the energy ball she used to be. But her eyes still shone like the old Izzie, even if the old Izzie had slept with her (ex) husband.

"You're not listening are you? Seriously, what's wrong?" Again she had that same concerned look that Callie wasn't used to receiving from her.

"It's nothing, I'm fine." God she was getting sick of that sentence.

"No, no you're not." Izzie sighed," I understand if you don't want to talk about it with me, but I suggest you talk about it with someone. You've been walking around here like a ghost the past couple of days."

Callie noticed Izzie cringe at her own use of words.

"Izzie… Thanks for being concerned about me but… I'm okay. I just… Can I tell you something?"

"Of course you can." Her expression was half curious, half relieved that Callie wasn't sticking to the "I'm fine" routine.

"You have to promise you won't tell anyone."

"Pinky promise." She smiled.

Callie didn't know what she was doing, but she sure as hell wasn't thinking straight. She knew that much. She took a deep breath before continuing.

"Arizona and I broke up."

Why was she telling Izzie freaking Stevens this? Or was it Karev now? Whatever, WHY?!! Who said she would even care? Maybe it was because she didn't want to talk to someone who knew her, someone who was involved in her life. And who was less involved in her life than Izzie Stevens-possibly-Karev?

"Oh my God Callie…" Alright maybe Izzie did care. "I... I'm so sorry. Wow. When?"

"Last_ Friday_."

Izzie's mouth opened in an "O" shape and her eyes widened momentarily. It was clear she understood the implications of that particular date, but she didn't say anything.

"Oh. My. God… Wow." Izzie repeated. She appeared to think about it for a second before asking:

"So what?"

"Excuse me?" Now it was Callie's turn to be shocked. Of course the bitch wouldn't care.

"No, I mean… God, I didn't mean it like that, I meant," Izzie took a moment to find the right words,"… So what if Arizona broke up with you last Friday? She didn't bother to care about your feelings, how you would be feeling on that day. She just ended it. Don't waste your time mourning a relationship with someone who didn't have any respect for you. She's just a cold bitch."

Callie was impressed. It was shown clearly on her face when Izzie blushed and smiled a little.

"Thanks Izzie. Who knew Barbie could give such great advice?"

Izzie blushed again.

"Well I was just thinking about what the Callie I met almost 3 years ago would do. The Callie I hated. Because as much as I hated you, I knew you would never take bullshit like this. Get that Callie back."

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End file.
